#76
Brokoslak Clan (3)
Squelch—
“Hup!”
Heinz, who had no intention of dragging things out any longer, seized the subdued Frizia by the nape with one hand.
As his five fingers dug deep into her slender neck, blood streamed down through the wounds.
In that state, with direct contact to her bloodstream, Heinz injected the 「Refined Blood Essence」 straight into her blood vessels.
“Ghhh—! You! What on earth are you doing…!”
Was this what it meant to be True Blood?
Even while subdued, she controlled her own blood, isolating the blood that had already come into contact with Heinz’s 「Refined Blood Essence」 so it would not spread throughout her body.
Her ability to respond to the situation immediately was quite impressive.
‘Of course, it’s meaningless resistance. Let’s see how long you can hold out.’
The 「Refined Blood Essence」 continued to be injected.
Frizia, already weakened, had no way to deal with it.
On top of that, since it was entering through the vital point of her neck, there was a limit to how long she could keep controlling the blood there.
“Ghhhk…”
In the end… the anomaly that began at her neck spread to her brain and heart in an instant, and soon expanded throughout her entire body.
‘This madman! Forcing his own blood into me! What in the world is he plotting…?’
Why was he going this far instead of simply killing her cleanly?
If the blood of a True Blood—especially the blood of someone stronger than her—entered her body, it would cause severe mental contamination.
Of course, she would become a little stronger, but that would be meaningless if she went mad.
‘Could he be planning to use me to destroy the capital?’
Otherwise, there would be no need to go this far.
Blood was the source of a vampire’s power. Why would he deliberately consume his own strength to handle things in such a complicated way?
‘Absolutely not! I won’t let it go his way!’
Originally, it would have been impossible to do anything to her, a True Blood, with such a small amount of blood.
But for some reason, the blood that had entered her body now continued to affect the surrounding blood, changing the vampiric factors within it.
As though a deadly poison had entered her body, she felt the blood throughout her body grow hot and pain surge over her. Gritting her teeth, she struggled to keep her mind clear.
Crack— crunch!
But far from mental contamination occurring, an incomprehensible change was taking place within her body.
‘…What is this? Was the effect of kin-devouring always this good? No, this isn’t just an increase in blood mana, is it?’
Frizia, who had mastered control over her own body over many long years, realized it quickly.
Her physical abilities, including strength, reflexes, flexibility, and more, were growing explosively.
Not only that, but she could also handle blood mana far better than before, and its efficiency had risen to a completely different level.
Her mind, which had been focused on resisting mental contamination, finally began objectively analyzing the situation.
Because of the blood injected from the outside, the vampiric factors within her body were affected and all underwent mutation at once.
…It was such a dramatic change that it would be more accurate to call it evolution.
And in her mind, the words Heinz had spoken returned once more.
‘Do you have no intention of following me? I can make you far stronger than you are now.’
It seemed what he had said back then had not been nonsense after all.
“You! What on earth did you do to me…?”
Frizia, revealing her confusion, kept examining her changed body.
Her mind was still clear, and now she no longer felt any pain.
And without any sense of discomfort, she was in a state far stronger than before.
Heinz quietly nodded as he observed her carefully.
‘Fortunately, it works on True Bloods as well. It did consume quite a lot more 「Refined Blood Essence」 than with the others, but compared to the effect, that much is nothing.’
He had remained tense, intending to deal with her immediately if she could not be controlled. Fortunately, he could feel that a subordinate relationship had been established without issue.
“It seems you’re all right now. Then why don’t you get up?”
“What exactly are you plotting? Do you think I’ll follow you just because you suddenly do something like—”
Frizia, who had been glaring at him and speaking coldly, obediently rose from her seat and stood respectfully at attention.
“Ah…?”
Only then did she seem to recognize the abnormality, looking back and forth between her own body and Heinz.
Then she suddenly thrust her arm toward him in a surprise attack, only to freeze in place as if she had turned to stone.
‘Looks like she noticed. But you won’t be able to attack me now.’
That was the basic effect of “blood subordination.”
“Wh… why is this? How can you? Huh?”
Her hand would not advance no matter how hard she tried.
Only after confirming it for herself did Frizia fully realize her current situation and fall into confusion.
It was only natural. A True Blood of Brokoslak had become subordinate to someone she had met for the first time today.
“Now the conditions for a calm conversation have been arranged.”
“Th… this shouldn’t be possible. This is impossible even for a Sacred Blood…”
No, it seemed she still was not ready to have a conversation.
“Focus on the conversation, Frizia.”
“Hap!”
Only then did she fix her gaze on Heinz and prepare to listen. Seeing that, he nodded in satisfaction.
And as he had done until now, he revealed his supposed identity and coaxed her, telling her that he could grant greater power to those who followed him.
Of course, her reaction was negative, just as expected.
“Brokoslak is one of the ‘Bloodlines of Beginning.’ On top of that, it is one of the few bloodlines where a Sacred Blood still remains. And you, a collateral branch, say you intend to rule such a place?”
Unexpected information also came out there.
He had known that Brokoslak was an original lineage passed down from the beginning, but he had not known anything about the Sacred Blood.
‘In the first place, I only received a little over a week of education as a Remnant Blood.’
Because of that, he had had no way to access such high-level information, but things were different now.
“Tell me in detail about that Sacred Blood.”
“Ugh… well…”
The Sacred Bloods, who were also the progenitors of the Bloodlines of Beginning.
They possessed power as mighty as their name suggested, but over the long passage of time, they had disappeared one by one, and it was said that only two or three were presumed to remain now.
Because succession to the Sacred Blood was extremely difficult, that power had not been properly passed down to later generations.
“Is there anyone who has inherited the Sacred Blood?”
“…A few decades ago… I heard that the lord of the Yupersh Clan succeeded. I don’t know if it’s true, though…”
He had heard of the Yupersh Clan during his education.
It had been said to be one of the top three clans in Auterica, along with Brokoslak.
‘But judging by her reaction, it seems they are the stronger faction.’
“And our progenitor, Lord ‘Brokoslak,’ entered hibernation long ago. To endure as long as possible and wait for a successor capable of inheriting his power.”
It was information only the True Bloods of the clan were allowed to know.
However, even they had not been told the location of his hibernation, so she did not know where the Sacred Blood slept either.
“But if the Sacred Blood awakens later and finds out his bloodline has been taken over by a collateral branch… you will never die peacefully!”
“In any case, he’s hibernating right now. And no one knows when he’ll wake?”
“Ugh… It was a method meant to endure for a very long time to begin with. Only he knows when he will awaken, but it won’t be anytime soon.”
Then it did not matter.
He did not know when that man would wake, but by then, there would be no need to care anymore.
More importantly, it was time to persuade this woman.
To easily reach the lord of the Brokoslak Clan, he needed her active cooperation.
“Tell me, Frizia. Are you satisfied with your current situation?”
“…What are you talking about?”
“A life spent hiding so you won’t be discovered. A life where you cannot proudly reveal yourself. A life where you tremble while watching the Main God Church’s every move.”
Frizia’s face hardened.
While bringing other vampires under his command and gathering information, he had heard a great deal about her as well.
Through that, he had learned one side of her.
Of course, it was dangerous to rashly make judgments based only on what he had heard from others, but one thing was certain.
She longed to live proudly in the light.
Even as a True Blood, she frequently went out under the sun despite the discomfort it inevitably caused.
She indulged in luxury through expensive shopping and formed relationships with humans through frequent social gatherings.
And through that, she enjoyed the flattery and praise of those around her, living as a single human being.
But all of that was nothing more than a precarious illusion that could disappear at any moment.
She, too, must have keenly felt that truth.
After all, she must have created new identities many times already and been forced to abandon everything she had built up until then.
“But that’s an unavoidable problem! From birth, we are a race that cannot step into the light.”
“Who decided that?”
“…Human perception, and practically speaking, the judgment of the Main God Church…”
“Why should you fear the Main God Church?”
“Because they’re strong! How many people on this continent can oppose them? Unless you’re on the level of the Empire or the Magic Tower Alliance, it’s impossible!”
Even those powers maintained good relations with the Church, so in practical terms, there was no one.
At her answer, Heinz nodded and opened his mouth.
“In the end, you’re saying the problem is a lack of power.”
“…I admit your ability is remarkable, but this isn’t a problem that can be solved by making a few people a little stronger.”
“What if it isn’t just a few?”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
He looked at Frizia and formed a small smile at the corner of his mouth.
“For example—what if every vampire clan on this continent could gather together and join forces?”
“There’s no way that’s possible! What absurd nonsense are you…”
“Why is it absurd?”
“Each clan is an independent organization. Not only would proper cooperation be impossible, but whenever something happened, they would gather and scatter according to their own interests. And then they would collapse in no time.”
Still smiling, Heinz slowly nodded.
There was not a single thing wrong with what she said.
“True. Then what if… there was a lord with absolute authority, someone who could control all of them?”
“Ha! That’s impossible even for a Sacred Blood… it… is?”
Frizia trailed off as a sudden sense of déjà vu struck her.
Of course she did.
Those words were exactly what she had muttered to herself not long ago, after she had been subordinated to Heinz.
Looking down at her as she stared blankly at him, he continued leisurely.
“It is my ability. Through this blood, I can bring every vampire on this continent under my command… and bind them into one. And all of them will become stronger, just like you.”
“Ah…”
“How long will you keep living with bated breath? The vampires, already few in number, cannot unite their strength, which is why they have no choice but to be oppressed forever.”
Frizia’s eyes wavered.
He could clearly sense that she was conflicted.
“Then, our Brokoslak…”
“Of course, Brokoslak, as the source of my blood and the first force to come under my command, should receive treatment befitting that status.”
She had almost completely come over.
This would finish it.
“When I become the king who reigns above them, you, too, will enjoy glory at my side.”
And then.
Frizia Brokoslak completely submitted to Heinz II.
***
The depths of the Bright Ducal Estate in the Kingdom of Talia.
In the pitch-black darkness, a man seated in a large armchair was receiving a report from a middle-aged man.
The lord of the Brokoslak Clan, Mullo Brokoslak, lightly swirled the wineglass in his right hand as he looked at the man who had finished his report and stood respectfully at attention.
“So, you’re saying the situation is taking an ambiguous turn.”
“That is correct. Rather, they are currently asking us for cooperation regarding that matter.”
“Hmm. So the Immortal King has truly revived…”
“From what I have investigated separately, the recent mood within the Church has been anything but ordinary. Considering the timing, might it not have something to do with when the Church’s elites urgently moved through our temple last time? Something must have gone wrong then.”
There was information the Main God Church had secretly conveyed only to the upper echelons of each power.
It was news of the Immortal King’s resurrection, a request that they prepare in advance, and a message that a conference would soon be held for more detailed discussion.
“Keep trying for now. The Immortal King is one thing, but we also cannot allow the Church to expand its power any further.”
“Yes. Then I will gather opinions together with the nobles under my command, my lord.”
“Leave.”
“May you have a peaceful time.”
The middle-aged man carefully bowed with both hands gathered, then quietly left the room without making a sound.
Click—
After softly closing the door, he wiped away cold sweat and swallowed the sigh that rose in his throat.
In this place, he could not even sigh as he pleased.
This mansion was his in name only; there was nothing here he could do as he wished.
As the middle-aged man—the Duke of Bright, the true power of the Kingdom of Talia—crossed the corridor with soundless steps, he saw people approaching from the opposite side and briefly stopped.
“Lady Frizia, greetings.”
“Oh my! If it isn’t Father. Have you been well? It seems you are on your way back from giving a report to the lord.”
Because Frizia’s false identity was one of the duke’s daughters, she called him Father whenever she saw him.
For him, who would have felt more comfortable if she had simply spoken informally, it was naturally a burdensome title.
“Yes. I had something to report regarding the recent Church matter, so I was on my way back after meeting him.”
After finishing his words, the duke glanced at the person beside her.
It was someone he had never seen before, but the duke did not show it and stepped aside with a bow.
As long as Frizia, a True Blood of the clan, was beside him, he had to close his eyes and ears to any matter.
“Then I shall go see the lord. Father, you should go in and rest as well.”
“Yes, then I will take my leave…”
The duke bowed his head once more and left the passage.
And the two who passed by the duke—
entered the depths of the mansion where Mullo Brokoslak was, without anyone stopping them.